A memo issued by Governor Lolo Moliga Friday appears to have relieved Director of the Office of Public Information/ KVZK-TV Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola of his services. But whether it’s temporary or permanent depends on who you talk to.
The governor stated in the September 14 memo that in the absence of current management leadership in the Office of Public Information/KVZK-TV, Mr Saelua Tipeni is hereby designated as the Acting Director, effective as of the date of this communication until the leadership issue is sorted out and subsequently promulgated in a separate memorandum.
The memo to all directors asked that they extend to Mr Tipeni the usual courtesies and support as he assumed interim leadership of the Office of Public Information.
KVZK-TV staff report that Tuimavave went off island as did Deputy Director Tialuga Vincent Iuli.
Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga is reported to have visited the TV station to inform staff about the appointment of Mr Tipeni as interim director.
Asked for a clarification of the memo and Tuimavave’s employment status, the governor’s executive assistant Iulogologo Joseph Pereira said, “In the absence of the designation of an Acting Director, and because of some challenges happening within KVZK-TV an Acting Director was designated until the issues are sorted out.”
Tuimavave was appointed as director of the government television station at the start of the second administration of the Lolo Lemanu government.
In the first term of the administration he was assigned as the CIP Projects Coordinator but was later removed.
